Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to
chondroitin and chondroitin sulphate and maintenance of joints (ID 1504,
1505) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006[sup]1[/sup]
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA)2
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy
Słowa kluczowe:
Chondroitin
chondroitin sulphate
health claims
joints
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
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Utrzymanie prawidłowego stanu stawów
The food constituent that is the subject of the health claims is chondroitin or chondroitin sulphate. Chondroitins are glycosaminoglycans consisting of alternating sequences of D-glucuronate and N- acetyl-D-galactosamine-4/6-sulphate residues linked through alternating bonds. The disaccharide units are joined to one another by a β1-4 linkage. The residues are joined by a β1-3 linkage. Chondroitin is a mixture of different forms. The most common ones are chondroitin-4-sulphate, also known as chondroitin sulphate A, chondroitin-6-sulphate also known as chondroitin sulphate C and dermatan sulphate also known as chondroitin sulphate B (Foot and Mulholland, 2005; Šimánek et al., 2005; Lamari and Karamanos, 2006).
The Panel considers that the food constituent, chondroitin or chondroitin sulphate, which is the subject of the health claims, is sufficiently characterised.
2. Znaczenie oświadczenia dla zdrowia człowieka
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Utrzymanie prawidłowego stanu stawów
The claimed effects are “joint health” and “joint health and mobility”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
In the context of the proposed wordings, the Panel notes that these claimed effects relate to the maintenance of normal joints.
The Panel considers that the maintenance of normal joints is beneficial to human health.
3. Naukowe uzasadnienia wpływu na zdrowie człowieka - Utrzymanie prawidłowego stanu stawów
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Utrzymanie prawidłowego stanu stawów
Glycosaminoglycans are the major polymers of the ground substance of connective tissue. Chondroitin sulphate is an important structural component of joint cartilage and in part responsible for its resistance to compression. However, no dietary requirement for the maintenance of joint structure (e.g. of cartilage or other connective tissues) or function (e.g. maintenance of flexibility or mobility of the joints) in healthy humans has been demonstrated by the evidence provided.
All the human studies presented on the effects of chondroitin and chondroitin sulphate on joint health (e.g. joint pain, joint structure/function) have been conducted in patients with clinical diagnosis of (primarily knee) osteoarthritis (OA). OA is the most common joint disease worldwide (Issa and Sharma, 2006; Corti and Rigon, 2003; Arden and Nevitt, 2006) and a major cause of disability (Hunter et al., 2008; Pollard and Johnston, 2006; Sarzi-Puttini et al., 2005; Ethgen et al., 2004)
The Panel considers that the evidence provided does not establish that patients with OA are representative of the general population with regard to the status of joint tissues, or that results
obtained in studies on subjects with OA relating to the treatment of symptoms of this disease (e.g. erosion of articular cartilage, reduced mobility of joints) can be extrapolated to the maintenance of normal joints in the general population.
The Panel also considers that the evidence provided in the animal and in vitro studies submitted does not predict the occurrence of an effect of either chondroitin or coindrintin sulphate intake on the maintenance of normal joints in humans.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of chondroitin or chondroitin sulphate and the maintenance of normal joints.
Wnioski
On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that:
The food constituent, chondroitin or chondroitin sulphate, which is the subject of the health claims, is sufficiently characterised.
The claimed effects are “joint health” and “joint health and mobility”. The target population is the general population. Maintenance of normal joints is beneficial to human health.
A cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of chondroitin or chondroitin sulphate and the maintenance of normal joints.
